Leipzig (dpa/sn) – The nationwide major strike in public transport brought buses, trains and trains to a standstill in Saxony on Monday. The Verdi union had called on the employees of the transport companies in Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz, Plauen and Zwickau to go on an all-day warning strike. Because of a warning strike called by the railway union EVG at the same time, train traffic came to an “almost complete” standstill, as a railway spokeswoman said. All domestic German flights have been canceled at Leipzig/Halle and Dresden airports. According to the police, there was no traffic chaos on the streets.
The two unions are fighting for more income in different collective bargaining rounds. Across Germany, almost all airports, waterways, federal motorways and local public transport in seven federal states were affected by the warning strikes. There was criticism from employers on the day of the big strike, and the unions defended their demands.
The Leipzig public transport companies stopped their scheduled services completely on Monday. Buses and trains also remained in the depot in the four other cities, as Verdi department head Paul Schmidt said. There is a great willingness to go on strike in public transport. “There is a high level of suffering among the employees.”
Deutsche Bahn stopped both long-distance and local transport because of the warning strike by the EVG union. According to the timetable information, there were almost no trains on the routes operated by private railways either. Rail replacement bus services were occasionally offered. According to the railway spokeswoman, all professional groups in the railway group took part in the warning strike. The EVG spoke of 30,000 striking workers nationwide.
At Leipzig/Halle and Dresden airports, as at almost all major airports, security personnel were called on to go on an all-day warning strike. According to the arrival and departure boards at both airports, all Lufthansa connections to and from Munich and Frankfurt were canceled. In Dresden, a Eurowings flight to and from Düsseldorf and an Air Dolomiti connection to Frankfurt were also canceled. The remaining flights of other companies remained.
Contrary to what Verdi initially suggested, tunnels were not closed on the motorways because of the work stoppages. The union concluded an emergency service agreement with Autobahn GmbH over the weekend so that the tunnels would be operated normally, said department head Schmidt. Nevertheless, employees of the Autobahn GmbH were called to the warning strike. Schmidt assumed that, for example, there would be no maintenance work along the freeways.
Overall, Verdi was satisfied with the strike. “Today there was again a very good turnout and a high level of determination,” said the Verdi regional manager on Monday afternoon. If there is no offer on Wednesday, the colleagues are “ready for anything”. Above all, the public transport warning strike in the five Saxon cities was a complete success. There was also a good participation in the strike demonstration together with the railway union.
Verdi is calling for 10.5 percent more income for federal and local government employees, but at least 500 euros more per month. The employers’ offers have so far been rejected as insufficient. Collective bargaining continued on Monday.
The EVG is currently negotiating new collective agreements with the railways and 50 other railway companies. She wants to push through 650 euros more for all employment groups, alternatively 12 percent. These wage negotiations will also continue this week.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:230326-99-96037/7
